stains
by Wingedteen
Summary: Max is put in a coma and the flock's last hope of waking her is to bring the traitor, Fang, to her deathbed. But in the end, will it make a difference, or is Max already to far across the void? One shot. Not for the purpose of Fax.


**Just to let you know, I don't own the idea of max in a coma, but I do own this story, and this particular plot. All efforts of plagiarism will be reported with out a second thought. (I own Max's last thoughts too; I didn't copy them of anywhere)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MR or any of its characters, 'sept this.**

Angel pov

I tried not to cry as I held Max's hand, the IV drip and life support the only thing keeping her alive. Her body was limp, her hair spread around her head like a halo, a blank expression on her once happy face. She looked so peaceful in her current state, like she was sleeping beauty, or an angel in a deep sleep. She had been in a coma for 3 and a half years. One night, fang had gotten into such a state, yelling at max, they had a big fight. Then fang slapped her across the cheek, really hard. Then he started shouting about how he was a bleeping idiot to trust a girl, that he should be leader, and he just took off. Max stood there, then lifted her hand to her cheek, where it was red and smarting. Then she just wobbled over and leant on a tree, sliding down its trunk. We all rushed over to comfort her, I climbed into her lap. But I had already seen the dead look in her eyes, then they rolled back in her head and she went limp against the tree. We'd rushed her to a hospital, she was hooked up to life support, and she never opened her eyes again. We'd brought her flowers everyday, but they wilted every time they reach her bed side table, it must be a new power. I rubbed the lily on the palm of her hand, the symbol of hope; the wilting petals blossomed at her touch.

At least we still had hope.

Max pov

I felt like I was underwater asleep, every now and then I'd get a couple of sounds, it came in like phases. Id be able to hear what went on around me, for around an hour (I counted the seconds) then nothing for around half an hour. Something bad had happened I knew it. There was an anaestheptic smell, it lacked the certain school stench though; there was only the constant sound of a heart monitor. I guess it was mine. Then I would hear people breathing, crying or mumbling sentences. I could feel presences, and for some reason I could not move my body, it was as bad as an isolation tank. Every now and then somebody would say my name, or rub my hand against something. But it was fading, I knew I was dying.

Iggy pov

Our leader is dying. The doctor says that a normal person has 6 months, tops, that means that she has about a year left. He wanted us to consider pulling the plug, but we know max is a fighter; she wouldn't want us to give up on her. Angel projects pictures of what's happening into my mind everyday, so I now how much her cheeks are draining of colour, and how she is just saying goodbye in her own way. Nudge when she holds her hand, sometimes gets flushes of emotions; we don't know what to do to wake her up. Apparently her chances of waking up after so long are about 34, leaving a 66 chance ill never here her commanding us to do an U&A and the kids will never get to see her open her eyes again, and shell never see them grow up. We all keep thinking this is a bad dream, and we will all wake up to her kicking us awake and telling us to 'roll out', or 'it's a new day, get up and face it'.

I was sitting in my room, thinking deeply, when I had an idea, max went into this state after fang left right? So if we get fang back, he might be able to wake her up! I leapt out the door, I had memorised the hall way and stairs and took them two at a time, nearing the bottom I skidded to a halt.

"Where's angel" I asked, hearing the breathing of only nudge and the gasman.

"Hospital" Gazzy replied quietly. I nodded.

"Guys, come with me"

We landed in the alley way of the takeaway shop near the hospital, folding in our wings; we raced over to the hospital.

We got to the door of room 3D7-IC (3rd level, corridor d, room 7, intensive care.) and walked in.

"hey guys" I heard the tear stained voice of angel, she was crying again. I hope this idea will help.

Nudge pov

After Ig explained his idea to Gazzy, angel and me, we were discussing ways of finding him.

"Hey nudge, if you find out all you can on flying kid sightings and check his blog, and registering under the name of nick fitting his description and stuff" angel said, hope glistening in her eyes. I nodded, pulling out the draw on Max's bedside table. Inside was a top of the range laptop, bought as good as the one we nicked from itex, which fang took. Rage welled inside me, I was going to slap him myself, he did this to max. I started typing in commands, the computer telling me what to do. I was in to the news, government secret database. Searching through the files, I found several sightings in the New York area. We were in Miami. That made sense, he liked it there. Searching for government, school, college, job, factories, facilities etc workers or students under the name of nick. I sorted through all records in a matter of seconds, looking for paper work that wasn't quite right. Bingo, pulling up a page, I found a record of a 'nick Peterson', his paper work and birth certificate weren't quite right. I pulled up a picture through the schools database. It showed a tall teen, dark bangs hanging over his eye, black clothes, no expression, that was definitely fang. He lived in an apartment in New York, apparently he lived alone and his 'family' lived in DC, he moved for family reasons. I cackled evilly, I think we're going to give little fangy a visit.

Gasman pov

Iggy and I rushed home, emailing, texting, ring everyone telling them we were going on a little holiday. We had a nurse to be with max 24/7 so nothing could happen before we bring back fang. I grinned; I was going to enjoy dragging his sorry butt back to Miami with us. Nudge was packing up food, clothes, and necessary items. Three hours later we were wheeling around in the sky, feathers ruffling.

I cant wait to see fang's face.

2 days later

Angel pov.

We all landed in a dark alley way, next to the blazed street apartments. Fang's place. We climbed the stairs of the cracking concrete building. Everybody's thoughts were screaming how they were going to hurt him. I needed him to save max, if he cant, no one can. We knocked on the door of his apartment,

"Just a minute!" I voice said from inside. There was a scrambling sound, and then a tall boy answered the door. His dark hair ruffled, olive skin glinting slightly.

"Can I help you?" his emotionless voice brought back memories.

"Yeah, you can fang you dumb ass!" Iggy said, launching himself at fang. Fang's eyebrow shot up in surprise at his name.

"What the hell?" he said, looking at Iggy, who nudge and Gazzy were pressing against a wall.

"Angel, nudge? Iggy, gaz?" he said. I nodded. "What are you doing here guys? And where's max?" my eyes brimmed with tears at the sound of Max's name. We'd never said it before for three years, it opened to many wounds. Hot tears rolled down cheeks.

"Let us in fang, ill explain" I said. He opened his door revealing an untidy room, papers and stuff everywhere. We all sat down on the couch, and he looked at us to explain.

"We need you to come to Miami with us fang" I said. He shook his head.

"No way, I set up my life here, I'm not leaving. Why anyway. And where's max?" he said.

"Stop saying her name" I said quietly, deadly, with an edge of steel. He looked puzzled.

"Why?" he said, confused. Iggy was about to blow his top, I knew it. He jumped off the coach and got in fangs face.

"Cause you're killing her you idiot!" he snarled loudly, venom dripping. He was practically frothing at the mouth.

"How!?" fang said, standing up too.

"Cause she's dying" I whimpered, not bothering to restrain the tears that were running down my face. Fang whipped his head round to look at me.

"When you left she went into a coma, she hasn't woken up. FOR THREE YEARS FANG! We had to watch our leader die. She has a less than a year before she shuts off her body completely" I watched as recognition crossed his face, and he sunk into a chair, head in hands.

"She might wake up if the flock is reunited again" I said, voice cracking, but holding the dangerous edge.

"If you aren't going to come willingly, ill make you" I finished, Iggy cracked his knuckles in the background. Fang turned his face to me.

"Ill go"

2 days later.

Angel pov

We flew back to Miami silently, Iggy err…listening to fang like a hawk. We landed in the same alleyway, power walking into the hospital. We reached Max's room and walked in, I was holding Gazzy and nudges hand. When fang walked into the room I heard him think, 'why are the flowers all dead'

"When anything organic reaches her, it dies, except if she touches it" I explained. I picked up a dead lily out the vase and rubbed it against her cheek. It blossomed back to life. Fang stared in wonder. Tears started sliding down his cheeks. I heard him think 'the first time I've cried in 3 years' he walked over to max, and sat down in the chair beside her bed. The heart monitors continuos beeping echoing around the room. He picked up her limp hand, and I heard him whisper

"I'm sorry max" his tear fell onto Max's eyelid, and I thought I saw her eyes shift under her lids. Then her eyes shot open, and she sat up. I stared in disbelief. She…was…awake. My wish had come true! She looked around the room and her eyes screwed up at the sight of fang. CRACK! I stared at Max's raised hand. She had slapped fang right across the cheek; like fang had the day he broke his promise. Blood dripped down his right cheek, the hand print imbedded into his skin. Max smiled triumphantly, projecting thoughts into my head. Her hand lowered by her side, and a single tear of blood ran down her cheek, and I caught it in my hand, curling my fingers around it. Her head lay back against the pillows, and the heart monitor flat lined. She died there, in the hospital bed, a smile on her face, eyes closed, did our leader. I uncurled my finger to examine the tear, but it was now a single red rose, blooming. And I knew it would for all eternity. Her last thoughts were,

_Six feathers, all familiar, one stained black with betrayal, the others coloured white with love. One feather slowly lost its white, turning a deep blood red, of dying. The dieing feather, loved all the other feathers deeply, and could not part again with a single one. The red feather, slowly drifted to the ground, and finally punished the stained feather for its betrayal. Then the red feather truly touched the sky for the first time, and she now vows to watch over them. And the feather became a simple red rose, promising to bloom for eternity. Love you, angel, Iggy, gasman, nudge. I used to love fang, tell him to keep away from my flock, the stained black will never touch the pure white again._

Angel pov

I kneeled beside Max's grave, the red rose tucked into my pocket. It never left me. I placed my hand on the freshly packed dirt, placing 5 feathers on the stone, one broken in half. Inscribed on the stone was her last thoughts, and the true words 'hero-mother-leader-sister-daughter, may the maximum ride rest at last' my tears flowed, making small imprints in the dirt. A small sprout sprang to life in the place of the wet dot, turning into a stem with another flower blooming, a dot of red liquid slid of the petals, and my tears fell into the roses centre, its petals absorbed the tears. In truth, my life kept hers going. I kissed the new rose, and whispered "love you max" the rose bowed its head in understanding. Max is still with me, however crazy that sounds.


End file.
